In today’s art podcast episode, we talk about why it’s so difficult to talk about our own art. This was a topic idea Tara had when she realised that she had no idea how to talk about her art. It started when she went to some group online art talks for people to sell their digital art.

Ep 112 Why can't I talk about my art?

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TARA

They were calling people up to talk about their art or pieces of their art. Not only do I not like talking in front of a lot of people I had absolutely no idea what to say.

I actually came off of one chat in case they called me up. However, I really need to overcome this as it is how a lot of art is getting sold.

So we thought we would delve into the issue of talking about your art and hopeful I will also get some ideas along the way.

SANDRA

First of all, you need to understand why you find it hard to talk about your art.

The main thing to remember is that it should be a two way conversation. It’s important to show an interest in what other people do and recognise that they have their own skills, whether that’s in numbers or something else that’s not creative, or something else. You’ll find it a lot easier to talk about your art if you also ask them about the things they love to do.

TARA:

So I guess one reason you might not like talking about your art is because you feel like it’s showing off.

But if someone told you they loved something else like cooking or pottery you probably wouldn’t feel like that. I fact if another artist wanted to tell you about there art you would probably be fine with it too.

TARA

Other reasons you might not like talking about your art is because It’s not important to some people around you.

They perhaps just see your art as a little hobby. Remember that if that is the case they are not your target audience anyway

Perhaps you don’t feel like you’re good enough.

Who are you to be talking about art. But if you like doing something you should talk about it, you never know who you could end up talking to.

TARA

Another reason you might not like talking about your art is because You don’t feel like it has a big message

In this case, maybe you can simply say that you leave it up to the viewer to find their own story within the piece.

I think this is one of my problems

SANDRA

Some artists talk quite pretentiously about their art and that’s not your thing

TARA

This is another of my problems. I will automatically resort to humour too. I told you the ther other day how someone commented on one of my faces and said something about the expression and they would love to know what they were thinking.

Now I could have come up with a pretentious answer but I just said – I think she was hungry!

Maybe when you paint you feel like you just like making nice pictures

Perhaps you don’t know to talk about individual pieces. I think it’s a bit easier with this on social media as you don’t necessarily have to make your text about the piece, you can talk about your day or something that happened to you and tie it back to the piece. I have been a bit lax with this lately

SANDRA

So we need to work out a way of talking about our art. Knowing what to say if someone asks you about it. So how can we make that easier?

TARA

Well If you do have a message about your art that makes it easier you can talk about that

There is an NFT artist who was knife attacked when he was younger and now that come out in his work.

But a message could be much simpler it could just be your love of nature and animals etc

SANDRA

Talk about the feeling it gives you creating it

Talk about why you are drawn to a certain subject

TARA

I think those are definitely the two areas I am going to focus on. When I paint it’s about the feeling I get, I can completely lose myself in the process. I also get a little rush of butterflies when I see a face appearing on the page. And I think maybe that is the crux of it, it’s a feeling of meeting someone new that you fancy when you heart skips a beat and you get butterflies in your stomach. So it’s meeting this new person that appears in my painting.

You could also talk about the medium you use and why.

Some mediums let you be precise, some let you be free.

Maybe you use a medium in a different way to most people or use different tools

SANDRA

Talk about why you began creating art

TARA

Perhaps there are certain colours you are drawn to.

Are there reasons you are drawn to those colours or perhaps they create a mood you like.

Do you paint the way you do because you like happy accidents.

I would imagine this is the case for some abstract artists. I purposefully use kids’ sponge brushes so I can’t be precise

SANDRA

Talk about what inspires you

Ultimately, rather than bore people, most people are fascinated by artists and their creative skills and they mostly would love to be creative themselves. Artists often have a reputation for being aloof and pretentious. It’s your job to rid them of that stereotypical image.

Don’t forget, to also show an interest in what they do too.

Ask if they have any creative skills. What’s that like?

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This week’s creative question

Q. How does your art reflect your personality?

art question

The best answers will be read out on a future podcast.

You can Tweet us your answers @KickCreatives or let us know in the Facebook Group, which by the way if you haven’t already joined, I highly recommend that you do! We will put the question up there and also on the Facebook page… and of course, on our Instagram page @kickinthecreatives.

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